Elizabeth "Lyz" Jaakola is a musician and educator, and an enrolled member of the Fond du Lac band of Lake Superior Ojibwe in Cloquet, MN. She teaches music education and American Indian studies at Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College.

She performs and composes in many styles and genres including traditional Anishinaabe music, jazz, blues and opera.

She has performed as close to home as Duluth, MN and as far as Rome, Italy for the Rome Opera Festival, while her Native-based compositions have also been heard on radio and television. She has arranged many Native pieces for solo and choral performance.

Lyz is always striving to promote Anishinaabe music and education through her collaborations, performances, and composition.
Lyz Jaakola will be visiting nine different elementary schools around the metro this March. She will be sharing a variety of traditional Anishinaabe songs that she has arranged as well as the traditions and stories that surround them.

School visits

Lakeview Elementary, Robbinsdale

Crest View Elementary, Brooklyn Park

Cherry View Elementary, Lakeville

Linwood Arts Plus Elementary, Saint Paul

Eastview Elementary, Lakeville

Cedar Island Elementary, Maple Grove

Zanewood Community School, Brooklyn Park

North Park Elementary, Columbia Heights

Northport Elementary, Brooklyn Center

About the Artists-in-Residence program this year

Classical MPR is now in its fourth year of welcoming Artists-in-Residence who perform, teach and speak about music during visits to schools throughout the state of Minnesota. The Artists are selected because of the quality of their musicianship and their interest in promoting music education.

This year's residency features four different Artists:

Crocus Hill Trio: Twin Cities area violin, flute, and cello trio that has been performing together for over 20 years.

Summit Hill Brass Quintet: Twin Cities area brass quintet that was founded in 1976.

Minnesota Percussion Trio: Twin Cities area trio that performs eclectic music from around the world on a wide variety of percussion instruments.

Lyz Jaakola: Musician and educator who is an enrolled member of the Fond du Lac band of Lake Superior Ojibwe located outside of Cloquet, MN.

Throughout the month of March 2013 (officially Music in Our Schools Month) these four Artists will visit a total of 24 elementary schools around the Twin Cities metro area to give an educational music performance to the entire student population. The performance includes information about their respective instruments, and the style, technique, history, and traditions related to the music that they present.

These performances are supported by curricular materials designed by Classical MPR's Curriculum Writer that are given to the music teachers in advance for use in their classroom. Students at participating schools receive an MPR-produced compilation CD featuring performances by the artists, allowing students to hear the different approaches and styles of music.

Classical MPR's goal with these artist-in-residence performances is to create authentic and transformative experiences for young pupils that will inspire their creative pursuits, and be a meaningful addition to what they are already learning from their music teachers.